Routing table and case for post-offices.



No. 64l,003. Patentad Jan. 9, I900.

M. S. FIELD.

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1899.) Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

WITH 15:55 E5 I VEN'I'DW gf i hw I Tu: NORRIS Prrznspo. moroumoWASHINGTON. Bic.

N0. 64|,003. Patented Jan. 9, I900. M. S. FIELD;

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

(Application filed. Oct. 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITFI 55555:. 4/ 5.

UNETFD STATES PATENT Fric MAROELLUSS. FIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHN THOMASWARD AND JAMES T. A. LEWIS, OF SAME PLACE.

ROUTING TABLE AND CASE FOR POST-OFFICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,003, dated January9, 1900.

Application filed October 20, 1899. Serial No. 734,210. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARCELLUS S. FIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and Improved Arranging, Filing, or Routing Table andCase for Post-Offices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an article of furniture common in postofficesand usually termed a routing-case. It comprises a table with one or morecases mounted on it, such cases having numerous pigeonholes orcompartments and usually a plurality of shelves. Mail-matter is dumpedupon the table, and an employee of the post-office, usually a carrier,distributes this mail and files the different letters or packagestemporarily in the compartments on the shelves in the routing-case, saidcompartments havinginscribed beneath them words or characters denotingthe different points on the route of the carrier at which mail is to bedelivered. After the mail-mat for has been assorted and filed inthecase, so

that it is in the order in which it is to be de-' livered on the route,the carrier removes the mail from the compartments in the case in theproper order and takes it out on his route for delivery. Hence the pieceof furniture utilized as above has come to be known as a routing tableand case.

Perhaps the greatest need in city post-offices is additional space. Aportion of the surface of a routing-table as at present constructed isoccupied permanently by the two cases, which set back to back thereon.Hence when after the first-class matter has been filed in therouting-case if it should be desired, for instance, as is very commonlythe case, to dump a lot of second or third class mail on the table theonly available space is that in front of the case, the rest of the spacebeing occupied by the case itself.

It is the principal object of this invention to construct a routingtable and case or cases in which the entire surface of the table can bemade available and such surface utilized to any reasonable height. Thisis accomplished by means of the construction fully described in detailbelow, in which the rout ing-cases are adapted to be moved verticallyaway from the surface of the table to a considerable height and to beretained at any de-- sired height, thereby leaving the entire surface ofthe table available for use, whether the compartments in the cases arefull or empty.

The nature of my invention is fully described below and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of anarranging, filing, or routing table and cases embodying theimprovements, a portion being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical sec= tion of the same, portions of the legs having been brokenoff and one of the routing-cases being represented as in position foruse and the other raised. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of thecases removed from the table and from its frame and with its shelvestaken out. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the frames in whichthe case slides, a portion of the other being indicated by dotted lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings I have illustrated a table provided with two cases backto back, each having its frame, as it is customary in large post-officesto provide two routing-cases for a table. I do not, however, confinemyself to the use of two cases, as, the cases are practicallyduplicates, and either one, inconnection with the rest of thecontrivance, embodies my invention.

A represents a flat-topped table provided with suitable legs a. Set onthis table is a frame consisting of a back portion and two ends.necting-bar B and the gauze or wire mesh B. The ends 0 are preferablyprovided with extensions 0 next the table, and the inner surfaces of theend walls are formed with vertical grooves D, two being preferablyformed in each end wall. Between these grooves is a third groove E,provided at its upper end with a pulley e. Backing against the frame 13O is another pair of end walls 0, corresponding in size and shape tothose above described and fitting against them and the con- The backportion consists of the con- H, and partitions K. The shelves aresupported in grooves H, which are formed on downward inclines from thefront to the rear of the case, so that a letter lying on one of v theshelves has a tendency to slide inward rather than to fall out of thecase. The partitions K are preferably made of wire loops, but may beformed of any other material or in any other style, there being nonovelty in wire loops as partitions nor, in fact, in the gauze partition-wall B. The end walls F are formed on their outer surfaces with tonguesL, which extend into the grooves D in the walls 0. Grooves P are formedin the Walls F between the tongues L, which coincide with the grooves Ein the walls C. lVeights S are secured to cords S, which extend over thepulleys e and within the grooves E and P, and are secured at the ends tothe cases in the manner common in window-frames. Suitable slideways T(not new in this invention) are secured to the shelves H and are adaptedto bear inscriptions or characters corresponding with the mailing-pointson the route.

The practical operation of this contrivance is as follows: A post-officeemployee or carrier Wishing to route his mail-that is, arrange or fileit in proper order to be taken out on his route-draws one of therouting-cases into the position indicated in Fig. 1, such positioncorresponding with the lower of the two positions indicated in Fig. 2.This position may be termed the normal position of the routing-case. Itis advisable that there should be some lock which will serve to preventany possible vertical sliding of the case, and hence I have shown in thedrawings a cam U, which is pivoted to the case and can be swung by itshandle and jammed against the upright side or wall 0. Any other lockingcontrivance, however, may be employed. The routing-case being in thislowered position, the entire surface of the table is available formailmatter, even that portion which is under the case. The carrierroutes or arranges his mail in the compartments formed by the partitionsK, the letters lying on the inclined shelves H without danger of fallingout, as any vertical movement or jar of the case or table tends to slipthe letters back against the wire B rather than forward. After the tablehas been cleared in this manner it can be used for any other purpose,such as piling second and third class mailmatter upon it to any desiredheight, by simply sliding up the case into the position indicated by theright-hand case in Fig. 2. The rear bar F prevents the case from slidingtoo high by striking against the bar B. Thus the entire surface of thetable may be made available at any time to any practicable height. thenecessity for the use of another table for routing or filing papers orother bulky mailmatter, thereby gaining space and concentrating the workof the carrier.

' Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an arranging, filing or routing table and case for post-offices, atable or base; a frame supported by said table or base; and anarranging, filing or routing case adapted to slide substantiallyvertically in said frame and over the table, whereby that portion of thesurface of the table which is below the case is rendered available formail-matter, substantially as set forth.

2. In an arranging, filing or routing table and case for post-offices, atable or base; a frame supported by said table or base; an arranging,filing or routing case adapted to slide substantially vertically in saidframe and over the table; and means for locking said case at differentheights above the surface of the table, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described improved arranging, filing or routing table andcase for postoffices, comprising a table or base; a frame comprising theend walls 0 and a suitable rear connecting-Wall B, B, said end wallsbeing formed with vertical slideways, and the routing-case comprisingtop, bottom, ends, shelves and compartments, said ends F being formed toengage with and slide in the said slideways, whereby the routing-casemay be moved verticall y with relation to the frame and render theentire surface of the table available for m ail-matter, substantially asset forth.

MAROELLUS S. FIELD.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. N. BONNEY.

In practice this obviates

